Layers of the atmosphere and its importance for the continuation of life on Earth
The atmosphere is one of the basic elements that make up the planet Earth. Without the atmosphere, life would not continue on the planet Earth. Just as God created the mountains to be anchors for the Earth to maintain the stability and stability of the Earth, the Creator also created the atmosphere. The atmosphere serves as the first barrier to the Earth against dangers and damage. .
The atmosphere consists of several layers that God Almighty created with great wisdom. It works as a filter for everything that reaches the planet Earth. It is an invisible cover and works as a large filter that allows the sun to pass through and prevents harmful radiation from entering the surface of the Earth. This is what we will learn about together.
?How was Earth's atmosphere formed
The Earth's atmosphere formed over billions of years, according to scientists' estimates, and the process of forming the Earth's atmosphere went through several stages. The first stage witnessed the formation of hydrogen and helium gas, which were released into the atmosphere from the Earth due to the inability of Earth's gravity to retain or attract light gases.
While the second stage of the formation of the Earth's atmosphere witnessed the formation of most of the atmospheric gases due to volcanoes, the gases emitted from volcanoes were the main source for the formation of the second atmosphere, such as first gas, carbon dioxide, hydrogen gas, water vapor, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, and sulfur dioxide. Methane and ammonia are all gases emitted by volcanoes.
The third stage of the formation of the planet Earth’s atmosphere was the stage of oxygen formation, which has become 21% at the present time, and ultraviolet rays contributed to its formation, as ultraviolet rays broke up water molecules, which led to an increase in the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere by small percentages. It should also be noted that The main source of oxygen in the atmosphere is green algae and bacteria.
Layers of the atmosphere and the importance of each one :
Definition of atmosphere:
The Earth's atmosphere is a layer of a mixture of gases surrounding the Earth, attracted to it by gravity. The atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen gas, 21% oxygen gas, 0.09% argon gas, 0.04% carbon dioxide, water vapor, hydrogen and helium. Neon and xenon, and the atmosphere protects the Earth from absorbing ultraviolet rays and works to moderate temperatures on the Earth’s surface.
98% of the mass of the atmosphere is located in the first 30 square kilometers of the Earth’s surface. The atmosphere of each planet in the solar system is also different from one another. There are planets with a very thick atmosphere, as is the case with the atmosphere of Venus, and some have no atmosphere. The components and gases of the atmosphere differ from each other for each planet in the solar system.
The atmosphere is considered a large reservoir of water that is used to transport water around the Earth. The volume of water in the atmosphere reaches approximately 12 cubic kilometers. Most of it falls in the form of rain in the seas and oceans. If all the water in the atmosphere happens to fall at the same time as rain, this will It covers the Earth to a depth of up to 2.5 cm, and the weight of the clouds it contains is estimated at thousands of billions of tons.
The atmosphere consists of six main layers that overlap with each other, making it impossible to separate them, and each one of them has its importance. These layers are :
Layers of the atmosphere and the importance and height of each layer
1- The troposphere:
It is the first layer of the atmosphere and the closest layer of the atmosphere to the Earth. It starts from the surface of the Earth and extends to a height of about 10 kilometers, and most weather disturbances occur in it. It is the layer that contains most of the water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, and human activities are concentrated in it. Clouds form inside it that lead to precipitation. Rain, as about 99% of the water in the atmosphere is in this layer, the temperature decreases with increasing altitude.
2- Stratosphere:
It is the second layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere. Its thickness is approximately 50 kilometers above the troposphere, which is approximately 10 kilometers thick, meaning it reaches about 60 kilometers above sea level. This layer is characterized by its absence of various fluctuations or storms, and in its lower part it contains a layer "Ozone" absorbs high-energy ultraviolet rays and turns them into heat, protecting the Earth's surface from the dangers of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, the temperature increases as we rise in the stratosphere. Despite the height of this layer above sea level, it is characterized by a high temperature due to the presence of the ozone layer. Which is about 30 kilometers thick and blocks the ultraviolet rays that come from solar radiation. Weather balloons are sent to it and planes fly over it.
3- Mesosphere layer :
It is the third layer of the atmosphere after the troposphere and the stratosphere. Its height ranges between 80 and 85 kilometers above sea level, meaning that its thickness is about 20 kilometers above the stratosphere. The mesosphere is the coldest layer in the atmosphere, as the temperature can reach -100 degrees Celsius (100 below Zero), this layer is characterized by a high air temperature in its lower section and then gradually decreases with the rise to the top of the upper ends of the layer. It is of great importance in protecting planet Earth, as it is burned by meteors and meteors coming from outer space.
4- Thermosphere layer:
It is the fourth layer of the atmosphere, and it is the highest layer of the atmosphere, as it rises above sea level by a range of between 500 kilometers when the sun is active and 1000 kilometers when the sun is calm. Its thickness above the mesopause ranges between 420 and 670 kilometers, respectively, and there is no The atmospheric layer that follows it has a thermal limit, and therefore its summit is determined by the thermopoise limit on the basis of its gaseous composition. Its temperature remains at -93°C for several kilometers at the bottom and then increases with height, reaching about 700°C at an altitude of 300 km, but it may approach 2000°C when the sun is up. It is active and the temperature remains the same until the end of the thermocline and during the next atmospheric layer. Its name is derived from the Greek word Thermo, which means hot, to indicate the intensity of the heat in it. The air is thin in this layer and the phenomenon of the aurora borealis occurs, that is, the lights that appear in The North Pole and the South Pole in the thermal conglomerate are of such great importance that satellites and international space stations orbit there.
5- The ionosphere layer:
It is the fifth layer of the atmosphere, and it is the layer above the mesosphere from an altitude of approximately 80 kilometers up to 125 kilometers or more. It is found in the thermosphere in the lower part of it. This layer is characterized by the lightness of its gases and its presence in the ionized state, in which oxygen, nitrogen, and helium gas prevails. As for the upper part of the The thermosphere contains high levels of hydrogen gas.
6- The exosphere layer:
It is the last outer layer of the atmosphere. Its name is derived from the word Exo, which means outside. The exosphere extends high above the thermosphere until the end of the atmosphere at an altitude of 64,400 kilometers. Air molecules become rarely present in the exosphere to the point that they are considered non-existent.
The importance of the atmosphere:
- Provides living creatures with air to breathe
- It allows the penetration of visible rays, infrared rays, and other thermal and light rays coming from the sun and absorbed by the earth, providing warmth and protection.
- It protects the Earth’s surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation that causes many diseases such as skin cancer and many skin and visual diseases.
- It contributes to regulating and distributing the prevailing temperatures on the surface of the Earth, as it regulates the arrival of sunlight and prevents the penetration of all terrestrial radiation into outer space. If the Earth did not have an atmosphere, the daily range would exceed 200 degrees of heat.
The atmosphere has a vital role in preserving water, as it distributes water vapor to different regions of the world, where the water evaporates and rises to the top, where it cools and condenses, forming water-laden clouds and falling in the form of rain again on the ground.
- Protecting living organisms on the surface of the Earth from harmful cosmic radiation, especially ultraviolet rays.
- It forms a protective shield that protects the surface of the Earth from meteorites and meteors, as most of them disintegrate before reaching the surface of the Earth as a result of friction with the air and burning.
It is a means of communication used by airplanes and through which sounds are transmitted. If it were not for the presence of air in the atmosphere, there would be eerie stillness and calm on the surface of the Earth.
- it helps to distribute the light conveniently.
?In which layer of the atmosphere do planes and satellites fly, and in which layer and at what altitude is the International Space Station located
Atmospheric pollution:
The atmosphere is polluted when there are foreign materials in it or when there is a significant change in the proportions that make up it. These foreign materials are present in the atmosphere in solid, gaseous or liquid form. Factories, combustion products, and motor vehicles are the most important sources of air pollution at the present time, as are nuclear tests. And pesticides, as scientists have counted more than a hundred substances that pollute the atmosphere and have devastating effects on the environment and the biological balance. Pollution now threatens the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the dangers of harmful rays. Controlling the spread of pollution is one of the most important reasons for combating it, especially factory and automobile waste, and maintaining the cover is important. Plants are one of the most prominent factors in purifying and filtering the atmosphere from pollution.
Source :websites